Controversy Over Sexual Discrimination In Pension

It has been ruled that it is a sexual discrimination that a grandson of a person of national merit has more pensions than a married daughter.

The Sexual Discrimination Committee of the Ministry of Gender Equality, on January 25, ruled that the payment priority for a person of national merit’s pension might be regarded as sexual discrimination, so the committee requested the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs to amend the related clause of the law.

If married daughters and granddaughters are allowed the same rights as sons and grandsons in keeping with the payment priority for the pensions, male heirs, who have benefited from the pensions, are expected to react violently because they will be deprived of their existing privileges.

In the legal case, which was applied for amendment, that although a 77-year-old woman, Kim, was the only immediate family member alive, the eldest grandson of her father was given the pension, the Sexual Discrimination Committee ruled in recent meeting that it was a sexual discrimination.

According to the current payment priority for survivors’ pensions, a spouse has priority over children, children over grandchildren, and grandchildren have priority over a family member who is married off to the other family.

“We are going to amend the law because there cannot be sexual discrimination in inheritance matters according to the civil law,” said Lee Yong-won, head of the compensation payment department of the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs.

“Of all the pension recipients--4,500 people by the current law--related groups, including the Independence Committee, are likely to rise against the law amendment because it will strip sons and grandsons of their rights, who currently take priority over daughters and granddaughters in receiving pensions,” added Kim.

Jin-Kyeong Kim kjk9@donga.com